Ticket sales for the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival are pacing well ahead of last year's, and the holiday weekend is looking to be one of the busiest this summer for the two communities, organizers said.

According to the nonprofit's director, Jim Horowitz, as of Friday, significantly more tickets had been sold than two weeks in advance of last year's festival. Horowitz expects gold patron tickets to sell out before the festival, as well as all tickets for Aug. 31, the day Keith Urban is playing.

The artists scheduled to perform also include Jason Mraz, Train and Journey.

"It's a very strong lineup across all three days," Horowitz said.

More and more people from outside the valley are buying tickets this year, Horowitz said.

"Part of it is just the consistent quality of the programming is driving more people here," he said.

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Many more people are buying three-day passes this year, and more are making their plans earlier, he said. Blind Faith passes, which Horowitz said more locals purchase, sold out earlier than ever.

"Relative to last year, it's just ahead," Horowitz said. "This one is hitting on all cylinders."

"Blind Faith" passes are available for sale before the music lineup is announced. Last year's lineup included Michael Franti, Sugarland and Mumford & Sons, which had close to 9,000 attendees, according to Horowitz. The festival caps out at 11,000 tickets for one day.

"There were that many people there for Zac Brown (in 2011)," Horowitz said. The director expects that many people to purchase tickets for Aug. 31, when Urban and Train perform.

"Everyone will be surprised if it doesn't (sell out)," he said.

Horowitz said he's heard from hoteliers in Snowmass that available rooms are going earlier than usual this year.

"Labor Day weekend … is shaping up to be among the busiest of the entire summer," said Bill Tomcich, president of reservations agency Stay Aspen Snowmass.

The Wildwood Snowmass is completely sold out for Aug. 31, and the Westin has about 20 rooms left for that night, which will sell, said Tim Johnson, director of sales and marketing for the hotels. The properties are the host hotels of the festival. Musicians will be lodging there, and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass website directs attendees to the Westin/Wildwood after they purchase tickets.

The hotels will have entertainment after the festival on Aug. 30 and 31, and the weekly pool party at the Wildwood will continue on Sept. 1.

"I would think we'll probably see some activity" for after-hours entertainment, Johnson said.

Bookings for the month of August were 39.9 percent ahead of last year as of July 31, according to a report issued by DestiMetrics, formerly the Mountain Travel Research Program. Two nights of Labor Day weekend fall in August this year as opposed to one last year.